The Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made it clear that he has no regrets about his divisive graduation speech at Benedictine College.
Speaking at the Regina Caeli Academy’s “Courage Under Fire Gala” in Nashville on May 24, Butker stood by every word, which earned the nod of approval from Randi Mahomes, quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ mother.
On Sunday, May 27, Randi reposted a portion of Butker’s speech at the Catholic charity event and wrote, “Amen…🙏.”
Randi, who shares two sons, Patrick, 28, and Jackson, 23 with the quarterback’s father, Pat Mahomes Sr., and a daughter, Mia, from a subsequent relationship, received strongly mixed reactions for her post.
Amen…🙏 https://t.co/QLNwMe3vE6
— Randi Mahomes (@tootgail) May 27, 2024
One person responded, “You literally married a pro athlete…you walked into money. Stay quiet🤣.” Randi responded, “And was left with none.” Randi and Pat Mahomes Sr. divorced in 2006.
One woman replied, “I KNEW you supported Butker! Thank you for being a strong Christian woman! God Bless You!!!” A Taylor Swift fan account posted, “I hate people using god name to spread hate.”
Another person wrote, “So your life didn’t begin until you became a homemaker? But you actually worked so you never became a homemaker. Also are you saying that your anti-lgbtq? Do you also think the Jews killed jesus and therefore condone the spreading of anti-semitic hate?”
Butker urged women to embrace their true vocation as a “homemaker” during his graduation speech. He also denounced abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, Jews, Pride Month, President Joe Biden, and pro-choice Catholics.
A Chiefs fan wrote to Randi, “Amen. How dare anyone vilify this man for having his own beliefs. People took this and twisted it into what they wanted it to be as usual to fit their reason for wanting to bully or cancel him. Get a life internet. Go @Chiefs.”
Chiefs News: QB Patrick Mahomes Didn’t Agree With ‘Certain Things’ Harrison Butker Said
Mahomes, Randi’s eldest son offered a more expansive reaction to Butker’s graduation speech at the start of organized team activities on May 22.
He told reporters, “When you’re in the locker room, there’s a lot of people from a lot of different areas of life, and they have a lot of different views on everything. And we’re not always gonna agree.
“And there’s certain things that he said that I don’t necessarily agree with. But I understand the person that he is, and he’s trying to do whatever he can to try to lead people in the right direction. And that might not be the same values as I have, but at the same time, I’m gonna judge him by the values that he shows every day, and that’s a great person.”
"I'd like to raise a glass to a new era in sports. An era when the women's game is finally getting the attention it deserves," said Patrick Mahomes in his TIME100 Gala toast. pic.twitter.com/roJt43tFYv
— TIME (@TIME) May 13, 2024
The three-time Super Bowl MVP addressed how his Time 100 speech, which championed his wife, Brittany Mahomes, for elevating women’s sports as a co-owner of Kansas City Current, went viral around the same time as Butker’s speech.
“But I think that’s what makes a locker room so cool is that you’re able to have those discussions and become better and make those decisions for yourself,” Mahomes said.
“So even though there are very vast differences as far as those speeches happen at the same time. You’re able to talk to guys and you get knowledge and you make your own decisions at the end of the day. And I think that’s what makes this country so great.”
Harrison Butker Is ‘Humbled’ By All the Support He Received
Speaking in Nashville, Butker told the crowd to tune out the naysayers. “Our love for Jesus, and thus, our desire to speak out, should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world,” the 28-year-old said.
“I lean on those closest to me for guidance, but I can never forget that it is not people, but Jesus Christ who I’m trying to please.
“I’m humbled by the support I’ve received from all walks of life, but I can’t help but tremble at the thought of the courage many saints have shown in their lives.”
Butker’s latest speech drew strong support from conservatives. Republican Tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn posted, “.@buttkicker7 stands strong with his belief and doesn’t not cower to the woke mob.”
Butker received a lot of backlash online, and the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica denounced his speech.
However, he received full support from the Chiefs co-owner Clark Hunt’s wife and daughter, Tavia and Gracie Hunt.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid backed Butker. “I don’t think he was speaking ill toward women, he has his opinions. We all respect that. I let you guys in this room and you have a lot of opinions that I don’t like,” Reid said.
